The SimCity Blog has a follow-up to recent outcry over plans to require an internet connection to play the upcoming SimCity revival (thanks GameSpot). Lucy Bradshaw explains to players how this will make the game "even more fun." Here's a bit:

Running the regional simulation on our servers is something we also use to support features that will make this SimCity even more fun. We use the Sim data to update worldwide leaderboards, where you get to see your city or mayoral standings as compared to the other cities in your region and between all of the regions in the world. And since SimCity is a live service, we're also using the data to create weekly global and local challenges for our players that keep the gameplay fresh and surprising.

We think this is the best SimCity ever and it wouldn’t be possible without the technology that powers our game. SimCity was designed to be connected from the ground up. We built the game around GlassBox, which takes the game to another level. And, we’ve given the player control over how to play. You can set your region to private and never interact with other people, or you can play exclusively with friends or join a public region.

Having online features is fine. Having multiplayer is fine. But when that's ALL YOU HAVE, and the entire game's design revolves around it, the traditional offline, single-player qualities of the series suffer (if they're even left at all). That is why we don't like it.

I get the complaints but there has to be a phobia for the consistent and repetitive nature of DRM/Online/Piracy complaints the repeatedly happen at Blue's.

Sure EA blended two things MP w/DRM Piracy prevention cleverly, to your dismay. But luckily I seemingly never have DRM related issues, even though I'm no real fan of it, I just can't join this brigade without really having been bit to any noticeable means. I've had more problems with Wal-Mart plastic bags giving way.

MP Sim games have been grossly overlooked, hopefully this will actually be good. Transport Tycoon Deluxe anyone?

the game will sell well and soon after it's release the whole thing will be forgotten.

Who do you think is going to buy it? This isn't The Sims crowd who lap up shit. SimCity fans are older, hardcore fucks like me who have no trouble playing SC2K even now (though I prefer 3K because the awful music in 2K just grates on me).

This is the same bullshit as day one DLC: everyone hates the idea of it but publishers keep doing it because it sells really well.

You don't know that. DLC doesn't have to sell well at all to break even. Obviously the amount of work involved in a full-fledged product far outweighs the trivial amount required for DLC, hence its ubiquity.

Prediction: even as people bitch and moan over the "always online" requirement, the game will sell well and soon after it's release the whole thing will be forgotten. "Yeah I'm pissed off over the online requirement, but not pissed off enough to not play it!"

This is the same bullshit as day one DLC: everyone hates the idea of it but publishers keep doing it because it sells really well. Games are changing. Either get over it or resign yourself to playing old games (you know, when they did things the "right way").

El Pit wrote on Dec 22, 2012, 12:19:Yeah, and this data cannot be collected OFFLINE and be sent as soon somebody wants to actually send it ONLINE. No, this does not work, of course. Just like you need to be CONSTANTLY ONLINE when you work on you excel sheets. Rrrrright. It's pretty insulting that you actually think that your customers are really that dumb.

Looking at the comments on the blog, it would seem that some are. I doubt that it will be enough make this a hit, though.

Yeah, and this data cannot be collected OFFLINE and be sent as soon somebody wants to actually send it ONLINE. No, this does not work, of course. Just like you need to be CONSTANTLY ONLINE when you work on you excel sheets. Rrrrright. It's pretty insulting that you actually think that your customers are really that dumb.

Idiocy. If I can set my region to private and never interact with other people, then there's no reason I shouldn't be able to lose the internet connection requirement while doing so. None of your "designed to be connected from the ground up" means anything at that point.

Not to mention what others have already said, that someone who wants a good single player experience probably has no interest in leaderboards or mayoral standings.

I'd love for this game to tank, and for the developers (and publisher) to recognize that lots of people don't need or want multiplayer components strapped into their single player game, but even if it did tank, I'm sure they'd find another scapegoat to blame.

Nothing that she describes feels in any way necessary, or even all that interesting.

"Global and local challenges." Yes, because that's what most people crave in a SimCity game. A focused challenge with a specific objective! And these do not keep the gameplay fresh and exciting. New gameplay keeps gameplay fresh and exciting. And certainly not gameplay that has been REDUCED from previous entries in the franchise.

Leaderboards are fine for some games; but given that each player will have their own priorities or objectives then there is no consistent method of measurement for any leaderboard. That guy over there has a population that's several hundred times my own? Fine, assuming that I'm even trying to make a high population city.

And it isn't as if many of the other design decisions haven't come about BECAUSE of this feature. Would the cities be so small if not for this online component? Doubtful. I know I'm not the first to suggest this; and I doubt that I'll be the last.

I have no problem with them doing a great experiment like this and creating a MMO SimCity. But for crissakes make a single player offline mode, too. THAT'S your bread and butter. I was playing SC4 with my 5 year old the other day, just the two of us. He told me where he wanted streets and buildings and volcanoes and stuff, and I built it for him. That's all the multiplayer I need in a SimCity game.

As for Syndicate, yes I would love a Syndicate remake. But I also thought the FPS was kind of cool. Can't we have both? That's what I'm asking of SimCity. Also, not sure that analogy fits here.

The more Maxis open their mouth and reveal more stuff about SC, the more dreadful and horrible the new SC seems to be. This is on par on trying to explain that the new remake of Syndicate as a FPS is a good thing too.

Yeah, sure, because the demographic who plays Simcity gives a shit about the "standings" of the guy in the next town over.

What's with all forced attempts at hypercompetivity lately in areas that just aren't competitive by nature? Next, I expect supermarkets to let me know who's the fastest at getting the TP from the shelf to the cart. Who actually gives a fuck?